Unexpected Miracle
by Amara777
Summary: In the universe of Romantic Comedy, there is one rule: Unexpected circumstances lead to unexpected people coming together. Ariel is about to learn this the hard way: "I never thought there would come a day when I would hate the plus sign so. Damn. MUCH!"
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Disney, or the animated characters from Disney Studio. Works such as these are for the sake of entertainment, not financial profit.**

* * *

**Unexpected Miracles—Part 1**

This might not surprise you, but I hate math—no, more like I _loathe _math. Then again, what former high school doesn't hate math? You know, besides all the academic, accounting aspiring nerds and geeks we are all secretly envious of, I mean. It's like one of the many life rules of being a teenager. And so He decreed: _All must hate math, and math must be something worthy of hatred_. My dislike is basically why I was so happy that we only had to take one math class in college as a requirement, and then we're free.

Still, despite my loathing for math, I never thought there would come a day when I would hate the plus sign so. Damn. MUCH!

The object in my hand shook as my breathing got harsh. Then again, the trembling was probably due to my hands. I'm not sure. All I remember about that moment was the numb feeling in my body and the panic clawing my stomach.

"No way. It's impossible. There has to be a mistake. _This thing must be defective_!"

Angry and more than a little petrified, I practically screamed in the young clerk's face. He just shrugged, his eyes being the only thing that showed anything close to sympathy. His lack of an emotional reaction kind of hurt, considering we knew each other in high school, and saw each other occasionally in college. Then again, we were never really close—we were at least acquaintances—so I guess his reaction was justified.

"Sorry Ariel, but this is the sixthtime you've taken the test this _week_. I think it's time to stop denying the damning evidence." Peter Pan propped his elbow on the counter. "You've been knocked up, sweetie. The bun has just settled in the oven. Your eggo is preggo—I can go at this all day, but I think you're murderous towards me enough now as is."

And he was right. If I knew that I couldn't and wouldn't get away with it, I would have wrapped my slim fingers around his neck and keep him from making any more wisecracks. Instead, I just continued on with my mental breakdown. I cupped my damp forehead and leaned back on the counter for grounding because my legs suddenly felt boneless.

"How could this have happened?" I felt tears gather in my eyes.

Peter blinked. "Well, I'm not sure how _you _were taught as a kid, but this is basically what I've been taught: When a man and woman love each other very much—or are feeling extremely lonely one night—they go out and—"

My hands clenched as I glared at him. "Damn it, Pete I know!"

He held up his hands in defense. "Okay, okay. Ari calm down, seriously. You're kind of scaring away my other customers."

At that, I picked my head up and looked around the store. People were either staring, or running out the door to get away from the "crazy preggo redhead lady", as one of three identical little kids (some tiny humanoid dressed ducks in red, blue, and green) called me as they were pulled away by an older male, who was referred to as "Uncle Donald". I groaned softly, folded my arms on the counter, and then buried my head in my arms.

"I hate my life," I whimpered, near tears.

Peter sighed and patted my arm. "Ariel, come on it can't be that bad."

"That's easy for you to say!" I cried softly. "You don't have a…parasite inside of you!"

"One of the many reasons why I'm grateful for not being a woman. But come on Ari—a parasite?"

I peeked over my arms to look at him. "Well, maybe it's not as fatal, but I am going to be eating for two now. Besides, you shouldn't really be talking. You hate kids."

He hummed thoughtfully. "Good point."

I buried my head again. I didn't want to see the world right now. God, what would Jasmine and Belle think about me? They'd probably smack me for being so stupid. My sisters would freak. Sebastian would have a heart attack. Flounder would probably get confused, but he'd probably be supportive anyway, since he's my first true friend.

And Daddy—_oh_, I didn't want to think about what Daddy would think. I might as well just get "DISOWNED" tattooed on my forehead. I whimpered softly at the thought and closed my eyes tightly.

I heard the sound of high heels clack on the floor up beside me. "Okay Pan, what'd you do this time?" a familiar sultry voice said.

With another ashamed whimper I hid my face some more.

"Damn it Meg, why do you always have to assume _I_ did something?" Peter asked playfully.

Meg chuckled. "Because you always _do_ Pete."

He waved her comment off. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

I felt Meg put her hand on my arm and give me a gentle squeeze. "You okay hun?"

I shook my head, saying softly, "No."

"What's wrong Ariel?"

I couldn't answer. I was too embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Granted, Meg might not even care about it, since she's more—"experienced" than I am. She probably won't see me as anything different. Even so, I couldn't bring myself to tell her.

(Un)Fortunately, Peter decided to do it for me.

"She's up the duff," he whispered, briefly taking on a Scottish accent.

When I peeked out of my arms for a moment, I saw Meg blink a couple of times.

Then her cat-like eyes widened with realization as she let out a soft, drawn out, "Oh."

A lump rose in my throat and I felt tears fall before I could stop them. As I whimpered, I felt Meg wrap her arm around my shoulders and rub them in a motherly fashion. I leaned into my friend's one armed embrace, my body shaking. I knew I probably shouldn't have been felt like it (personally, I blame hormones), but I felt like I was going to fall apart. I needed a mother's comfort, and since my own died before I had a chance to remember her, Meg was the next best choice at the moment. Despite what you might think of her, Megara has a bit of a nurturing nature when the need for it comes. And god damn it, did I need it that day.

"Sweetie it'll be all right. I know you don't feel it now, but this is a _good_ thing," she comforted. "You have a new life inside of you."

"I'm not ready to be a mom Meg." I sniffled. "I won't know how to take care of a baby."

"You won't have to. It will be like an instinct to you."

"Yeah, I'm sure it will come to you naturally," Peter added, smiling softly. "It came to Wendy when she had Jane."

I wiped my eyes, my lips shaking. "But she's old—like over thirty years old. I'm only twenty-two."

"So what? You shouldn't doubt yourself until you try." Then he smiled. "With that said, who's the baby daddy?"

My sadness dissipated enough for me to glare hard at him, while Meg let out an exasperated sigh and slapped him upside the head.

Peter grabbed the back of his head and glared at the woman. "What was that for?"

"Insensitive ass," Meg replied, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I've gotta congratulate _somebody_, since Ariel currently looks like she'll fall apart if I say it to her." He looked at me. "So, you mind telling us who it is?"

Meg removed her arm to give me more room, propped it on the counter, and looked at me also, her eyes showing curiosity. I blushed heatedly with embarrassment and diverted my eyes to the floor. After a few beats, I mumble the truth, hoping they will catch it the first time around.

"What was that?" Peter arches an eyebrow.

I gritted my teeth and said it again, still softly.

"Sweetie, we can't hear you," Meg said gently.

I picked my eyes off the floor and glared at the both them.

"_I don't know,"_ I hissed out.

Their eyes both blinked and then widened simultaneously as they took my statement in.

"_Oh," _they both dragged out lowly in unison.

I put a hand over my eyes and took deep breaths. This day just kept getting better and better—and it was only the morning!

* * *

Are there no depths I will cease with Disney fan fiction?!

...No, probably not. Besides, this is more like an experiment if anything else, just to see what people's reactions are. I'm still working on Part 3 of "The Invasion", but it's going to be a little hard with finals coming up in a month. And then, I have to do my other stories as well, along with some Death Note one-shots (since the fan girls girls need their L fantasies).

But, just in case I might pick up interest in this later, here's the working summary for "Unexpected Miracles":

**Ariel is twenty-two years old, and at the prime of her young life. She has friends, she goes to college, and her singing career is about in its first phase. However, everything changes after one night with a handsome stranger, whose name is a mystery...**

So, praise, flame--I don't really care! I might not continue this anyway.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!


	2. Chapter 2

**Unexpected Miracle—Part 2:**

As I leaned on the counter and buried my head in my arms to sob wholeheartedly I felt one of Meg's hands stroke my head in a slow, soothing manner.

"Aw, Ariel, come on. It's not that bad."

"Yeah, I barely remember any of the people I sleep with."

"…"

"…Not a good thing to say right now?"

"No, Pete. No it's not."

"Right. Sorry." He paused. "Ariel, do you need anything?"

I swallowed to try to make my voice sound less hoarse. "Coffee, please?"

Peter let out a sigh — one that silently told me that he really didn't want to say what he was going to say — and put his hand on my shoulder, rubbing it with his thumb.

"Hun, you can't have coffee for a while. It's not good for the baby."

Despite tears running down my cheeks, I felt one of my eyes twitch. Damn it, I hate this child already.

Well — maybe not _hate_, but I'm still not allowed to drink the Nectar of the Gods (a.k.a. coffee) because of it.

So, since I couldn't indulge in my favorite drink, I decided to try and regain my composure. I took deep, calming breaths, in and out, and tried to get some control over my emotions. A few minutes later, my chest wasn't hurting, the tears weren't overflowing, and my breathing got a little bit calmer. I stood up straight, wiped my eyes, and looked at Meg and Peter.

"I think I'll get going now," I said softly.

"Are you sure?" Meg looked concerned.

"Yeah," I nodded. I fished through the pockets of my green skirt and put a five dollar bill on the counter.

Peter looked at the money, then back at me. Then he snorted snootily and folded his arms across his chest.

"Your money's no good here Anderson." He smirked at me playfully.

Feeling my eyes water, I smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

I exited the store and started for work, which was this new restaurant that Belle, Jasmine and I worked at, as waitresses. It's owned by this guy names Krunk, who's also the head chef of the place, and has it named after him. He's not all that bright really, almost to the point where he gets on your nerves, but he's a friendly enough boss, and he makes one hell of a Thursday Special. (Besides, he must be doing _something_ right to keep his business going.)

Honestly, being a waitress wasn't part of my plan. I mean, the pay is okay; it's enough to help pay rent in the apartment my friends and I share. But I don't want to be a waitress forever.

My primary goal is to become a professional singer. I don't want to toot my own horn (well—not _too_ much that it seems rude), but I have a good singing voice, if I say so myself. It's just one of the few things I'm good at. It should be obvious that I would pick a career that puts my talent to use.

I guess that dream will have to be stalled…again.

Sighing, I picked up my pace and continued my walk to work, passing by the hustle and bustle of Skid Row, of downtown Walt Lake City, where the apartment complexes are dilapidated, yet still expensive to rent. Where the jobs are mediocre at best and the chances of getting a high paying career is from minimal to none.

The kind of place everyone wants to escape from…

The tune of a piano starts to reverberate through the air, making me pause.

My eyes suddenly caught sight of a middle aged black woman, who walked out from an alley, wearily carrying brown bags in either hand. I quickly recognized her as Eudora, the mother of Tiana, my manager at _Krunk's_.

Then, I saw a group of five black women, all clad in creme colored clothes, leaning on the brick wall of a building, the tallest one of the group holding a smoldering cigarette. They watched as Eudora walked out, looking up at the sky sadly. She opened her full mouth and

_**Eudora: **__Alarm goes off at seven  
and you start uptown.  
You put in your eight hours  
for the powers that have always been._

_**Calliope (of the Muses):**__ Sing it child._

_**Eudora:**__Til it's five p.m._

A man holding an empty wine bottle joined in, his baritone voice saying:

_Then you go_

_**Eudora and the Muses:**_

_Downtown  
Where the folks are broke  
You go  
Downtown  
Where your life's a joke  
You go  
Downtown  
When you buy your token, you go-__**Eudora:**__ Home to Skid Row!__**The Muses: **__Home to Skid Row!__**Another wino:**__ Yes, you go_

Before I knew it, as the music (which oddly came out of nowhere…) picked up, everyone was joining in! There were some people I knew, and others I didn't really know, just saw in passing.

**[Hercules] _The Muses_**_:  
Downtown  
**Aladdin (scowling at a cab that blatantly ignored him):**  
Where the cabs don't stop.  
**The Muses:**  
Downtown  
_**[1940's Pinocchio's]**_** The Coachman (from out a window):**__  
Where the food is slop.  
__**The Muses:**__  
Downtown  
__**ALL:**__  
Where the hop-heads flop in the snow!  
Down on Skid Row!_

_**The Muses and other Women:**__  
Uptown you cater to a million jerks  
Uptown your messengers and mailroom clerks  
Eatin' all your lunches at the hot-dog carts  
The bosses take your money  
And they break your hearts  
_

I couldn't help but smile wryly, because the song was so painfully true—especially about the "break your hearts" part, only with me it's often been both bosses _and_ boyfriends.

_**Men:**__ Aaaaaaa_

_**The Muses:**__  
And uptown you cater to a million whores  
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors  
Your morning's tribulation, afternoon's a curse  
And five o'clock you head_

_**WINO #3:**__  
By subway_

Before I knew it, words rose up in my head, and became vocal:

__

Downtown  
Where the guys are drips.

_**ALL**__:  
Downtown  
__**Ariel:**__  
Where they rip your slips.  
__**ALL**__:  
Downtown  
__**Ariel:**__  
Where relationships are no-go._

_**ALL:**__  
Down on Skid Row!  
Down on Skid Row!  
Down on Skid Row!  
Down on Skid Row!  
Down on Skid -  
Down on Skid Row!  
Down on Skid Row!_

You wouldn't imagine the failed relationships I had to go through in my young life…

Now that I think about it, if I keep this baby, who will be the father? I don't even know who its real father is. That night in the club is so fuzzy and vague. I remember that it was dim, as most nightclubs are, and a handsome face that had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen.

With a sigh, I continued walking, joining along with a group of fellow urban citizens, who continued singing in melancholy:

_**Ariel:**_

_So I live..._

_**ALL**__:  
Downtown_

_**Ariel:**__  
That's your home address, ya live_

_**ALL:**__  
Downtown_

_**Ariel:**__  
When your life's a mess, ya live_

_**ALL:**__  
Downtown_

_**Ariel:**__  
Where depression's jes' status quo!_

_**ALL**__:  
Down on Skid Row!_

Somehow, my feet took me down an alleyway, where at the end was a metal fence, like bars in a prison. I gripped the fence and looked up pleadingly at the sky.

_**Ariel:**__  
Someone show me a way to get outa here  
Cause I constantly pray I'll get outa here  
Please won't somebody say I'll get outa here  
Someone gimme my shot or I'll rot here!_

{_italics _are for Ariel's parts, and **bold **is for everyone else's parts}

_  
Show me how and I will,_

_**Downtown**__  
I'll get outa here_

_**There's no rules for us**__  
I'll start climbin' up hill_

_**Downtown-**__  
and get outa here_

_**Cause it's dangerous**__  
Someone tell me I still_

_**Downtown**__  
could get outa here_

_**Where the rainbow's just a no-show**__  
Someone tell lady luck_

_**when you live...**__  
that I'm stuck here  
_

I then moved out of the alley and leaned on the wall, clenched fists at my side.

_  
Gee, it sure would be swell,_

_**Downtown**__  
to get outa here_

_**Where the sun don't shine!**__  
Bid the gutter farewell_

_**Downtown**__  
and get outa here_

_**Past the bottom line**__  
I'd move heaven and hell_

_**Down town**__  
to get outa Skid_

_**Go ask any wino, he'll know**__  
I'd do I-dunno-what  
to get outa Skid_

_**Downtown**__  
But a hell of a lot  
to get outa Skid_

_**Downtown**__  
People tell me there's  
not a way outa Skid_

_**Downtown**__  
But believe me I gotta get outa_

_**ALL**__:  
Skid Row! _

In a matter of seconds, once the overture was done, all of us were blinking at each other, looking as bemused as I personally felt. Then everyone was on their way, continuing with their day, leaving me to stare into space.

Well, that was…interesting.

Usually it's an Elton John song.

I shrugged and went on my way. Sometimes it's good to have some variety in a day as mundane as one in the city life.

Despite the song though, it wasn't enough to get my mind off my problems. In fact, it just made me more aware of my problems…

Such as how I'm going to tell my friends and family about my new condition.

A scowl automatically formed on my face. _Crap._

_

* * *

_

All I can say for this is:

Thank you, God, for _Little Shop of Horrors_. And campy 80's cult hits in general (**cough**_Rocky Horror Picture Show_**cough**)_. _xD

**Disclaimer: **That being said, I do not own the rights to the song _Skid Row_. (which is sooo addictive! Listen to it. Now.) The song belongs to the creators of _The Little Shop of Horrors._

Note: if you listen to the song (and/or are familiar with the movie), you'll notice that I cut out some of Seymour's part. I didn't do it because I hated Seymour (you kidding? I _love _that little geek), it was because his part wasn't needed. I guess I could have had someone else sing his part, but that person wouldn't have been any significance to the plot, so Seymour's part was unnecessary here.

So yeah, there will probably be random songs in this fic. I mean, it's Disney. It'd be a sin not to have a random music number put in there somewhere.

I have a good idea for the music, but send in suggestions if you want.


End file.
